Readers' letters - March 26

Following the recent death of comedian Sir Ken Dodd of Liverpool, it brought back memories of my personal first meeting with this wonderful, jovial man, whilst I was serving initially in Manchester City police force “D” Division in 1962.

At this time I was working from Lower Ormond Street sub station near to Manchester University, covering all Oxford Road towards the city centre.

I was informed by two ladies I knew, working from a sweets and cigarettes kiosk at the junction of Charles Street and Oxford Road, that at 9am this day, Ken Dodd was coming to see them with two tickets for one of his shows in Manchester. He was staying at the Midland Hotel at this time nearby.

I had just completed working the traffic light controls in the busy morning rush hour at this junction, when I saw Ken Dodd approaching.

He was immediately recognisable with his hair, front teeth and grinning face. The two ladies told him my name and introduced me.

He replied “By jove, constable, pleased to meet you.”

He then, in one devilish movement, grabbed my helmet, put it on himself and walked into the main road, giving a stop signal to the traffic, which came to an abrupt halt.

In doing so, he then shouted: “How’s that, by jove? What a marvellous day to stop all this traffic, then to clear off for a pint!”

I was stunned for words obviously.

He then stepped back and returned my helmet, laughing and saying, “Ah well, that was a first, thanks officer!”

This was always something I could never forget and so hilarious at the time.

He will be sadly missed as one of the truly great comedians from the days of the old musical hall variety theatre era.

Thanks for all the happy memories Ken, God bless.

John Siddall

Fulwood

russia

Diplomacy’s foreign to Boris

When Boris Johnson compared the holding of the World Cup in Putin’s Russia to Hitler’s 1936 Olympic Games, he should have thought about the effect this would have on the millions of ordinary Russians who lost relatives in the ensuing conflict of the Second World War.

It may well not have been his intention to offend them, but that is how they will see it.